Delegates have been seeing effects of the disaster at first hand
Representatives of over 50 countries and organisations have clashed over the location of a co-ordination centre for an Indian Ocean tsunami warning system.
Thailand proposed that the centre should be in its capital, Bangkok, but was opposed by India and Indonesia.
They agreed to set up smaller regional facilities, in response to last month's tsunami which killed more than 250,000.
Thailand is hosting the two-day meeting for affected countries on the ravaged resort island of Phuket.
The representatives decided that work should start immediately on strengthening existing national and specialised institutions.
Correspondents say national egos appear to be getting in the way of international co-operation.
Decentralised network
Delegates at the meeting discussed where to base a centre for collecting seismic and oceanographical data from nations on the ocean rim and issuing alerts to vulnerable areas.
Bangkok's proposal to set up a regional trust fund, for which it pledged $10m, was given a cool reception.
India and Indonesia also said they wanted to host the centre.
But the participants reached a compromise, that a UN agency, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, should co-ordinate a decentralised network.
"We agree that the role of the United Nations is the most important in ensuring that all aspects in building an early warning system are co-ordinated effectively and timely," said Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai, quoted by Reuters news agency.
"We agree to advance the establishment of such an arrangement through organisation of expert meetings and needs assessments, to be undertaken with the support of relevant regional and international institutions and governments."
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Early Warning Systems and Village Communication Networks in India
Rev Dr Joshva Raja
Prior information about disaster can save many people’s lives. Tsunami waves have taught us a lesson about the importance of an advance public warning system. It is right time to develop a systematic study on Disaster Information Management (DIM). It refers to a management of information about disasters, of networking of rescue and relief operations, and of sharing news about recovery, mitigation, reconstruction. Such information needs to be disseminated to public and shared by the communities from any early warning systems or any other disaster assisting agencies. Though at international and at regional level much focus is laid on setting up early warning systems in different places, without any preparedness at grassroots communication networks the prior information will fail to reach the seashore communities that may be affected by another disaster. This is where my paper tends to make a case for a technological networking of grassroots village communication and of governmental or non-governmental institutions that may provide authentic public warning about any possible disasters.
For such venture one needs to look at the communication practices of villages near the seashore and then connect them with the early warning systems through an information technological system. This model of networking communication provides a challenge to the theoretical framework of Developmental Communication in which information technology, alternative and community media can co-exist for life-saving purposes. The main emphasis is on the use of the technology for the life saving information, by interconnecting existing elements of community communication and public media. In this technology is incorporated into the community communication in such a way that it is used for their daily life communication. This enables the system to be maintained, upgraded and used for other purposes such as disaster warning and so on. This is where many of the problems faced by the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) for rural development are addressed.
This changes the old paradigm of ‘technological driven life’ to ‘life driven technology’. This in turn refers to a community shaping technology rather than a technology shaped community. This concept differs from the technological determinism and social shaping of technology. This means technological determinism is being challenged in the way that our lives need not be adjusted for the technology that we have adopted. Rather information technology can be adopted and invented in such a way that serves our life and the impact of disaster can be minimized with prior public warning. In this way technology can save our lives by enhancing our present ways of community communication rather than we shape our lives according to the technology.
For Hamelink [1998:6], it is not possible to predict future social impact of any technology and so social choices about the future can be made under conditions of uncertainty. Hamelink supports an approach focusing on “social shaping of technology”. This approach emphasises the dynamic interaction between social forces that shape technological development and technological innovations that affect social relations (which was originally suggested by MacKenzie and Wajcman 1985). Among the factors shaping ICTs are socio-economic, political, cultural, and gender variables, geography and market forces. For him it is essential for those who wish to influence the course of change in ICT, in directions that might support social development, to understand what forces shape the evolution of ICTs, and how these forces interact. If the information communication technology is introduced as in some cases as external factor by the agencies then we are concerned about its maintenance, its financial support, its upgrading process, its supporting personality and the community’s involvement. If the ICT and the community media works together then some of these questions are addressed and a sustainable information dissemination and sharing can be developed through this model.
I raise three basic questions in the area of communication and disaster – the first question is about information technology, community communication and development whether it is working; the second question whether community communication would survive along with the new media and the third is whether the networking of people, technology and different media can provide an interactive and participatory alternative to the present ways of communication. These three questions will be addressed in some ways in this paper.
A Tsunami Story:
On 26th December 2004, Air Force Office in Chennai received a warning from 7:30 am (0200 GMT) about the a massive earthquake near Andamans and Nicobar Island. According to Air Force Chief S Krishnaswamy, the last message from the Car Nicobar base was that the Island is sinking and there is water all over (Indian Express 2004 , Taipei Times 31st December 2004). At 8:15 am, the air chief asked an assistant to alert the defense ministry. The Indian Meteorological Department had sent a warning fax out at 8:54. It went to the former science minister Murali Manohar Joshi. Realising the mistake another fax was sent to the Home Minister 9.41 and the control room informed the cabinet secretariat at 10.30 am. By this time Tsunami waves struck the borders and many people were dead. There are other stories such as the National Occeanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recognized the problem and tried to call colleagues in the region. They alerted all US naval bases including one in Indian Ocean (Diego Garcia). The information did not travel further to help the countries who might be affected .
I am restating the story not to blame anyone for not informing the public but to point out the fact that if there is a public warning system they could have immediately informed the public. Professor Michel Chossudovsky of Ottawa University said the argument put forward by other experts that countries hit by the tsunami could not have been warned of the approaching waves because they had no sensors or special buoys in the Indian Ocean. With modern communications,"the information of an impending disaster could have been sent round the world in a matter of minutes, by email, by telephone, by fax, not to mention by satellite television", he said . The main argument is that there was a prior information and if the public are informed through the mass or any other media some lives could have been saved.
Even if the early warning system is in place in Indian Ocean without networking the public warning systems of communities and the alerting centres, such disaster experience could be repeated. While the governments look for setting up early warning systems, she should also develop local communication networks that would broadcast or narrowcast the emergency warning immediately to the public before any disaster. A simple breakdown of information and its non-availability has resulted in the loss of many people’s lives. My main focus is on how the local community communication (COMCOM) process can be strengthened in such a way that even a simple authentic disaster information can be announced immediately to the public as it was done in M S Swaminathan’s Centre in South India . One needs to recognise the fact that this centre had people to inform them, people to receive the information and announce it to the public. All these persons are either related to the centre or paid by them. This is where we needed to framework Disaster Information Management in which communities’ preparedness (in terms of dissemination of prior information; community’s participation in evacuation); and NGOs and Government office collaboration (in rescue operation; informing the military or rescuers; rehabilitation, resettlement) are very essential elements. A systematic management of information and dissemination to the public, to the government and NGOs and to the people who are under threat of a disaster has to be set up. For this we need to start from the grassroots and community communication level. The primary question is how the emergency warning of a disaster can be announced to the public.
Communication, Technology and Information Sharing
Even though India has advanced in communication technologies and its applications, the relevance and effectiveness of such technologies are limited to a few rich and are based on the old model of communication. The division between information rich and information poor is a real question in our context due to the introduction of Information, communication technologies. Only a few has access and are able to afford to have them. India also hosts many software companies and supplies a large number of software engineers to the silicon valleys. A large number of software packages is made in Bangalore or in Hyderabad. Even in such context whether society in India is in no way closer to becoming an information society or zero-sum-society [Hamelink:1998]. The communication technology has brought in a new culture; a new set of moral values; a new way of living and a new way of politics in our country which is similar to any other developing nation.
It results in a perpetuation of the capitalist mode of production, with a further refinement of managerial control over the production processes which results massive job displacement and de-skilling. A pseudo-democracy will emerge, allowing people to participate in marginal decisions only. Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) will enable to exercise surveillance over their citizens more effectively than before. The proliferation of ICTs in the home will individualise information consumption to a degree that makes the formation of a democratic, public opinion no more than an illusion. There are tendencies of forceful cultural “globalization” - e.g. Macdonaldization and aggressive cultural tribalization - fragmentation of cultural communities into fundamentalist cells with little or no understanding of different tribes. Interestingly the communication technology itself is designed to serve the elite countries and elite people who would buy them and continue to upgrade them. Hamelink (1998) identifies this as a dystopian view where ICTs impact on developmental process is considered to be negative.
On the other hand dreamers such as McLuhan argued, ‘The Computer thus holds out the promise of technologically engendered state of universal understanding and unity, a state of absorption in the logos that could knit mankind into one family and create a perpetuity of collective harmony and peace (1969:72). In this techno-centric perspective the imperatives of technological development determine social arrangements: technological potential drives history (e.g. Zuboff 1988). It holds that the digital revolution definitively marks the passage of world history into a post-industrial age. Those who support this perspective argues that the emerging global information society is characterised by positive features: there will be more effective health care, better education, more information and diversity of culture. New digital technologies create more choice for people in education, shopping, entertainment, news media and travel. It is based upon the notion that a technological discontinuity (the “digital revolution”) causes a social discontinuity (a “Third Wave civilisation - Toffler 1980).
This perspective predicts radical changes in economics, politics and culture. In the economy, ICTs will expand productivity and improve employment opportunities; will upgrade the quality of work in many occupations and will offer great many opportunities for small-scale, independent and decentralised forms of production. In politics, decentralised and increased access to unprecedented volumes of information will improve the democratic process, and all people will ultimately be empowered to participate in public decision-making. New and creative lifestyles will emerge, as well as increased opportunities for different cultures to meet and understand each other. New virtual communities will be created that easily transcend all the traditional borderlines and barriers of age, gender, race and religion.
Disaster, COMCOM and ICT – A Third Way Possible?
Both Utopian and Dystopian perspectives emphasise the role of ICT (means) or of the developing organisation in bringing about development (communicator). ICT is placed between a communicator and the audience and so becomes an instrument for bringing about development of the people. In these two views the main emphases are on how effectively the means (ICT) can be used to bring about development among the people or how best the NGOs or the communicator use the means (ICT) in order to develop the communities. These perspectives have an implicit assumption that people do not have any idea to develop themselves nor posses any innovative concepts to bring about social change. Thus the development has to be brought by an external instrument or organisation. One should not try to see ICT from a Scoopy-Doopy-Doo Model where the cartoon characters Scoopy and Doopy magically get their burgers by clicking the mouse in a computer. ICTs cannot directly eliminate poverty or hunger. However it alone can not be blamed for such social problems.
Social problems such as poverty, starvation-deaths and water scarcity are part of our everyday reality for many people in India. ICT is neither a cause nor can solve this problem completely. The concept of development should not be narrowed down only to economic development. People in India can not solve the above stated problems unless there is a co-ordinated and organised effort. Population explosion and less investment on people (much investment on missiles and Nuclear arsenals), non-availability of resources, mass exploitation of wealth by a few, natural disasters and conflicts and mismanagement are a few factors that also contribute to problems such as poverty and starvation deaths. By organising communities together and by bringing awareness among them may reduce to some extent these problems though these problems have to be addressed at national and regional levels. ICT can play a major role in bringing people together by establishing networks among the communities.
Old Model for Development and Means of Communication
Proposed Model for Development and ICT
ICT, COMCOM, Disaster and Concept of Development
Any development perspective, to be holistic and sustainable, to some extent, should begin from the people, their understanding of development, their communication process and their context. In this sense people are already engaged in a communication process (by using different means that are available to them), in a socio-cultural and political process (in order to develop themselves) and thus in search for meanings of life and faith (that would enable them to bring about social change and development among them). It is essential for the NGOs and Communicators to find the ways to participate in such an ongoing process of the people and thus become participants or catalysis in the people’s process of development using the available modern technology. From this understanding communication needs to be defined as a process in which the communicator (NGOs) participates, shares and interacts with the audience (people).
Recently by pointing out strong cases Bhatnagar [2000:17-32] argued that Information Communication Technology can be used to improve and automatize service to citizens, to empower citizens to access information and knowledge, to decentralise planning, to address bureaucratic problems, to monitor government development programmes. Hamelink notes “As a result digital technologies are instrumental in the convergence of electronics, telecommunication and data processing technologies. They bring the formerly separated and different worlds of broadcasters, cable manufacturers, publishers and Internet users together… The personal computer, the television set and the telephone begin to be integrated into real multimedia stations” [The Nature and Advantages of Digitalisation, 1997]. This network will integrate all forms of wire-line and wireless media, allowing anyone to communicate with anyone else, at anytime, or to access to an infinite, globally-dispersed array of information and entertainment sources. This convergence technology is cheaper than other technologies of broadcasting or networking or interaction
My understanding of communication is developed from James Carey’s ritual view of communication. Communication is defined as an ongoing process in which people participate and interact in sharing, negotiating and constructing meanings (social, cultural and religious). The role of those who wish to use ICT is to engage in those communities’ communication process in order to find a way to enable them to use ICT. Unless audiences share such means of communication (ICT), the communicator cannot communicate with the audience. Unless computers become their medium, people cannot use it for their development and so our attempt to introduce ICTs would become an attractive instrument but may not contribute to the process of development. First those of us who are interested in ICT and development need to identify the way in which the ICT could become integral part of their communication practice and remain an useful instrument for their daily purposes. We need to start enabling people to use ICT as a platform where they can express their expectations and their meanings etc. It is essential that we engage in people’s search for development oriented meanings. We need to first recognise such meanings and use their means of communication to disseminate among themselves. Using the ICT such meanings can be disseminated not only among themselves but also to other communities that are struggling with similar issues and problems. Our attempts should not only be limited in brining a particular community together and developing them but also networking communities together in order that they may share among themselves their innovative ideas and help each other addressing their problems.
When ICT is incorporated as part and parcel of community communication, the disaster information sharing will be a continuous process. It assumes that communities themselves know enough about their own exposure to risks and often participate in rescue, relief and reconstruction of themselves and others [Asian Disaster Management News: 2003 4-5]. Their preparedness can be furthered with training and drills. In order to closedown the gap in the flow of information at community level, awareness needs to be created about the disaster risk. Some of their villages need to be trained about the tools, techniques and methods to communicate about the risks involved. Unless the ICT becomes part and parcel of the community communication, it is difficult to keep the system on work regularly and provide emergency warning when needed to the public.
Community communication and Loud Speaker culture
To save lives without being destroyed by the disasters, we need information – pre-disaster information to the public and post-disaster information to rescue operations and rebuilding communities. For this the present communication system in India will not work. One the one hand the government run media will be very careful not to create rumours and will wait for an official message from the government regarding such information. The bureaucracy of the government has already shown a failure in disseminating the warning about Tsunami. It is impossible to get All India Radio and Doordarshan to provide pre-disaster warning. This may be similar in other developing countries. The private owned cable channels or any other media are interested in profit making and so for them these may not be an immediate interesting subject to warn the public. Many of the remote places in India and also in developing countries do not have television or radio sets – particularly among the fisher folks.
One of their main ways of entertainment is to sit and listen to the loud speakers that play films songs and transmit radio programmes. One of my post graduate students has just finished a research studying how the fisherfolk appropriate famous films songs in South India . Many of the seashore communities regularly listen to the songs, news and any other information through the loud speakers that are on the top of the local Panchayat centres. Panchayat centres (as you see in the photos) are the centre of the villages where the government has provided the people in villages with amplifiers and loud speakers connected to a radio and tape recorders. Now-a-days some of them have television sets and also CD players. These loud speakers are part of the communication life of these village and seashore communities. The speakers are used mainly in the morning and in the evening. These speakers are loud enough even to cover the neighbouring places too. This culture of listening to loud speakers has become part and parcel of the community communication for these people. At times announcements are also made to the villages through this loud speaker but rarely done. Not only the Panchayat Centres but the temples, mosques and churches also have loud speakers. In this sense the temples mosques and churches can also be networked with these automatic announcement systems that would disseminate the information to the public before the disaster.
I would like to recognise the fact that similar systems are made available in Japan or elsewhere. In Japan the system is known as Simultaneous Announcement Wireless System (SAWS) . It is a system of transmitters and receivers installed by the local authorities for any type of messages that are placed in the government offices and in all public places. But this is a wireless system and so due to bad weather at times does not work properly. Similar systems are run by Michigan Emergency Packet Information Network (MEPIN) using network software called K-NET which is connected to VHF Meter Radios. Such systems are also used for public announcement of disasters in US. Such systems are expensive compared to using a community speaker system.
The second way of announcement among the village community is using a van or car or an auto-rickshaw on which the loud speakers, amplifier and a small generator are carried. This is particularly a practice during the political elections and also for any advertisement. As this vehicle keeps on moving the information too is disseminated to many villages. This too has become part and parcel of village communication through which many political, religious and other announcements are made. If these community media systems are networked along with the early warning systems then there is a possibility of getting not only pre-disaster information but also information about mitigation, rescue and reconstruction can also be provided. These community media can also be networked among themselves so that one can share their news with the other community.
Such ways of doing the pre-disaster warning is cheaper by connecting a computer system with the loud speakers. This computer can also be used as a public booth where the internet phone calls, faxes and emails can be sent. Thus this computer with an internet connection can be maintained as a public booth. The pre-disaster warning can be made through a software networking from the early warning centres. The whole system can run on the solar and batteries that even if there is no electricity then the announcement can still be made. Such a subsidized technology becomes sustainable as the people themselves would pay for internet and phone charges. This model brings two kinds of cultural activities of the communities together that are – people’s use of loud speakers and also their use of phone booths. In this way the model incorporates the present community communication process within which the warning system is connected. One needs to recognise the fact that these loud speakers are connected in addition to radio, television, word of mouth and telephone networks that would also carry the emergency warning to the public.
Loud Speaker, ICT and Public Disaster Warning
The government of India will set up an early warning system in the sea. Next Tsunami they may receive the warning and then how to disseminate to the public – particularly to the people in the seashore. The government Tsunami centre will receive the information and will try to place in the radio and television and thus disseminate the public warning. This may not be enough to reach to the wider public who may not have access to the television or radio at this point of time. The best way to disseminate is to connect the Tsunami centres and also other dependable amateur radio centres with these loud speakers in the villages. The loud speakers should be connected through a computer or through a microprocessor that would automatically switch on the speakers and make announcement or give a warning siren to the public. Many of these amplifiers be connected via solar system and thus the activation would be easy even without electricity. If a computer is networked then it can be used like a computer booth where internet phone calls can be made; fax can be sent; emails can be sent and thus it can be maintained. We have many telephone booths where a person will be there. This computer can automatically trigger a public emergency warning that would go to all the villages. It can also make announcements to other villages if needed through the web transmission. This might help post disaster rescue and rehabilitation of the communities.
Strengthening Community Communication
My proposal addresses many issues of Disaster Information Management. We need to make the technology work for human development that I call life driven technology. Unless such technology becomes part and parcel of the present community communication people will refuse to adopt it even if it is heavily subsidized by the NGOs and Government. Usually many argue that technology divides people into different categories such a rich and poor. On the one hand technological determinists argue that technology will change the way people live and view at the world and thus bring a better world. On the other dystopian argues that new technologies often enhance the life of the rich and degrade the life of the poor. A third view may be possible by enabling the technology to assist and serve the communities at the time of their need such as disasters. Connecting the disaster centres to this community communication through ICTs will certainly set new model for the development. Because whether it is dissemination or participation people, NGOs and the government need to be involved in a mutual benefiting and sharing manner, then the impact of disaster on human lives can be reduced and the bond among the communities are strengthened and community development can follow through interaction. This concept may address even wider questions on Disaster
Information Management. The developing countries may consider making technology accessible, available and affordable to the communities and thus work within their process of community communication.
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